Will Smith Says ‘Nobody In [His] Family Was Happy’ When He Pushed His Kids Into Show Business

On Thursday’s (August 3rd) episode of Hart to Heart, Will Smith got candid about the mistakes he made when he pushed his children into the entertainment industry more than a decade ago.

“2010 was like the greatest year as an artist, as a parent,” the Men in Black star told host Kevin Hart. “Karate Kid came out in June, 'Whip My Hair' came out in October,” he said, referring to his son Jaden‘s movie and his daughter Willow‘s song—both of which were highly successful. “I'm building this dream of a family I've had in my mind.”

“'I'm going to do it better than my father did it,'” Smith recalled thinking. “We've talked about it, my father was abusive. I told myself I would never have that kind of energy with my family, and I had a dream, an idea of a family I was building. Pretty much 2010 to 2012 I had achieved everything I had ever dreamed. I was beyond my wildest dreams.”

Then the King Richard actor realized that he was the only one enjoying this success. “Nobody in my family was happy,” he said. “Nobody wanted to be in a platoon. Willow was the first one to begin the mutiny, and it was my first realization that success and money don't mean happiness. Up until that point, I really believed that you could succeed your way — to a house and a family — and you could win your way to happiness.”